Jeff Hoefs a NYC based interaction designer and new media artist has released a new protoptyping tool called Breakout, the project grew out of "a need for a simple platform to enable designers to prototype functional web-based interfaces to the physical world". It utilizes the Arduino platform and the Firmata protocol to enable users to access physical input and output purely from javascript and easily connect their projects to web applications.

This makes it easy for anyone familiar with javascript and basic web development to explore the possibilities of using physical I/O in their web applications. Furthermore, the Breakout framework includes a growing library of hardware abstractions such as buttons, leds, servo motors, accelerometers, gyros, etc enabling the user to easily interface with a range of sensors and actuators using just a few lines of javascript code.